Chain.



J. C. HOWE.

CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED N07.1'I. 1010.

1,059,297. Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN. C. HOWE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AS$IGNOR1OE ONE-HALF T0 DANIEL. M.I MORQNEY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

cHAnv.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 15, 1913.

Application filed November 17,1910. SeriaINo. 592,864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 01m ,0. Howe, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indiantion.

A common form of link belt, manythousand feet of which have been marketed, is:

composed of a plurality of malleable :iron links each comprising a pair :of side bars, a cylindrical cross bar at one end, and a hook at the opposite end having a transverse cylindrical seat into which the cylindrical end bar of the adjacent linkzmay be passed, one of the side bars having: a notch or notches formed therein to permit insertion into the cylindrical hook. Such chains have been objectionable becauseof an apparently unavoidable lack of uniformity of the links owing to the i fact that different molders wrap their patterns todifierent extentsthus causing a diflerence inathe dimensions of the 'resultin castings. Such links are also ob- JGCtlOIla. le because of unavoidable flaws in the castings which weaken the links. On the other hand a belt of. this general: type is exceedingly useful and imay be cheaply manufactured. In a modified type of. link belt, links of the same general form have been produced by stamping from sheet metal the end bars being rolled one into a partial cylindrical form and the other into a hook but sheet metal has a. distinct grain and when the links are made fromstampings of sheet, the points of conjunction of the cross bars with theside bars will, eitherin the direction of length of: the chain or transversely thereto, have a very short grain which thus produces four weak points in each link.

The object of my presentinvention is, therefore, to produce a belt link of the general type already describedwhich however, while capable of being :cheaply manufactured, will, nevertheless, be freefrom weak points and will be of such character that it may be very cheaply manufactured.

The accompanylng drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of. the wire portion of my improved link; Fig.1 2a perspective of the coupling forging or hook in transverse section of two links on a larger scale. i

; My improved link consists of a main wire portion formed by bending a piece of wire of 1 desired diameter so as to form acylindrical cross bar 10, side bars 11, 12, and adjacent: tips 13, 13 whicharebrought together and intoalinement so as toproduce a cross bar. parallel with crossbar 10. Each of the tips 13is provided with groove 14. Formed in each side bar 11 closely adjacent the cross bar 10 is a notch 15 which is like similar notches formed in the commercial Ewart chains and the purpose of which will appear.. Grooves 141 and notch 15 may be readily formed by pressure without theremoval of any material. These wire links may be readily automatically formed by ordinary wire workin machinery and con sequently may be made very uniform and,} because the grain of the wire runs continuously around the corners of junction between;

the cross bars and sidebars, there will be no 1 points of weakness due to short grain. In order to. provlde each. of these wire llnks with a couplin head, I form a forging 16 which is provi ed with a pair of transverse its outsi e with a lip 21 and the pocket :18

is flanked by a similar lip 22.

which are adapted to enter the grooves 14. Withthe two parts of each link initially in conditionshown in Figs. 1 and 2, I seat the the ribs 23, thus reventing the wire link from turning in tlie coupling and the tips 13 fromHbeing separated. The two parts when sorassembled are then put. in a press and lip21bent down tightly upon the tips 13 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 so as to thus firmly unite the coupling lowith the wire link. At the same time lip 22 is curled down solas to increasethe arc of the pocket 18 and produce a space 25 between the tip of the lip 22 and the ridge 19, whichwill be less than the diameter of the cross bar 10 of the wire link but slightly greater thanithe thicknessof the side bar 11 at the notches .15. With a link so formed the cross bar; 10 of one link? may be readily slipped endwise tips 13 inapocket 17, the grooves 14 receiving into pocket: 18 of the coupling of another v 2.1 A belt link comprising aWire bent to form a crossbar, a pair; of side bars, and a It will be seen from the above that a link is produced which is very strong and yet of such character that it may be manufactured very cheaply and with a great degree of accuracy.

I iclaim as my invention:

v1 A belt link comprising a Wire bent to form a pair of side bars and a pair of end or cross bars, and a coupling member havinga pair of "transverse pockets each With: an outward flanking. lip, one ofsaid lips being tightly clamped upon the crossbar of the Wire, and the other curled to forma receiving pocket for the other cross bar ofan adjacent link, the first mentioned pocket and associated cross bar having interengaging portions to prevent relative turning.

second cross bar, the said second cross bar being produced by the inwardly turned tips of the Wire and having a recess formed therein, and a coupling member comprising a pair of transverse cross-bar receiving the tip-formed cross bar and one of the pocket flanking lips of said coupling memberbeing clamped upon the said tip-formed cross bar.

3. A belt link comprising a Wire bent to form a loop having substantially straight cross bars, and a couplingmember having a pair of transverse pockets each With anout- Ward flanking'lip, one of the cross bars of prevent relative rotation of *theloop and f coupling member on theicross bar.

they loop being clamped in one. of said pock- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto t 1 my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, 7

this twelfth day of November, A.) D. one

thousand nine hundred and ten.

' Witnesses: V

AnTHUR M. Hooi), THoMAs W. MGMEANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington; D. 0.?

JOHN to. HOWE." a 1 

